It's easy to set up a fall harvest soup buffet as an easy lunch or dinner for friends and family. You will find easy tips and lots of images to help you transform a kitchen counter or table into a delicious fall soup bar.
A soup buffet is one of the easiest, coziest, and most fun ways to get together in the fall. And a soup bar gives us a reason to celebrate with our friends and family! I say, “Let them eat soup”! Here’s how to set up an easy and pretty soup bar.
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Soup is such a favorite at our home! I actually love to make soup! When the kids come home it’s fun to have a soup we all love!
SET IT ALL OUT AND LET EVERYONE SERVE THEMSELVES
Our kitchen has the perfect counter to set out everything we will need for our meal! I love spreading out a self-serve buffet so everyone can dig in and take what they like!
If you can’t afford the countertop space set a soup bar on a kitchen or dining room table!
I wanted this soup bar to reflect the beauty and bounty of the fall season! It’s all about feeling cozy and well-loved!
Fall is such a gorgeous season in Lancaster County. It’s the unofficial pumpkin land of America!
Who doesn’t love pumpkins! So I decorate with lots of pumpkins! On cake plates and candlesticks…
I even added a pumpkin to the display of my FAVORITE SQUARE DINNER PLATES! These plates have an interesting handmade look and a tiny rim.
At the end of the table, I made a small impromptu arrangement of more pumpkins and a large dried gourd! Super easy!
On the counter in the background coffee and spiced apple cider are also set up to be self-serve!
So once this buffet is set up everyone can sit at the table and enjoy a meal and laughter!
MAKE SOMETHING AND BUY THE REST
When I was younger I would make everything homemade! I’m much smarter and wiser now! So I make some things for the fall soup bar and buy some too!
I love to make soup so it’s most often the thing I make. And I usually make it in the slow cooker or make it ahead a day or two and warm it up before serving.
Here are my favorite soups to serve a crowd.
Many of these soup posts are so old but the recipes are true winners! I hope to repost them with new images and recipe cards for you!
- ITALIAN TORTELLINI SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH
- HEARTY BACON CHEESEBURGER SOUP
- RIGATONI SOUP WITH MEATBALLS
- SCRUMPTIOUS MINESTRONE SOUP
- NANI’S PORK AND CABBAGE SOUP
- ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEDDAR SOUP
For our Soup Bar, I made a DELICIOUS ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP.
This soup is so delicious and tastes like fall! If you make one thing to serve on a fall soup bar this should be it!
These are my FAVORITE SOUP BOWLS. Like the plates, these bowls have a handmade look.
MAKE IT EASY
I make homemade soup all year long but there is something about a warm and filling fall soup or chili! And speaking of chili here is my Chili recipe. I like to serve it with Buttermilk Cream Corn Cornbread from a box mix!
I make the soup for the Soup Bar and buy the rest!
I usually cut up artisan bread or serve corn muffins with the soup. Sometimes I’ll make garlic bread if I have the time.
Serving bread on a breadboard or vintage cutting board gives it an even more rustic feel! Perfect for fall!
The Pumpkin Caramel Bundt Cake is also from our local store! And it is so yummy!
If you would rather make dessert here are my favorite fall dessert recipes…
- RAW APPLE CAKE
- SPICE CAKE CAKE (FROM A BOX MIX) WITH A MAPLE SYRUP GLAZE
- PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE CAKE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING
- STREUSEL-TOPPED BANANA NUT BREAD
Whether you choose to buy or make dessert for a fall soup bar, put it on a cake pedestal! Everything tastes better on a pedestal!
I like to put dessert at the end of the buffet along with cake plates and forks so people can revisit the buffet and get their cake after they eat the soup.
I don’t even give a thought to people, especially grandbabies, eating dessert first!
The only thing I add to the soup bar just before people get in line is a whip cream dispenser. You can’t fake whipped cream. The real thing is a culinary gift!
I just add cold heavy cream a bit of powder sugar and a little vanilla extract to the dispenser and shake!!
You can see my WHIPPED CREAM DISPENSER HERE. This small kitchen gadget will last a lifetime!
